Coin-controlled gas or liquid vending machine



, (No'Mode'L) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. WE-BBER. COIN CONTROLLED GAS 0RLIQUID VENDING MAGHINE.

Patented Nov. 5 1895.

WITNESSES L- ANDREW EGRAHAM. FHUTU-LI'I'I'IQWASHINGTON. D C,

I 2 sheets-sheen 2. .w. WBBBER.

J, Patented Nov. .5, 1895.

ATTOBIIEY I I I ANDREW B ERAHAM FNOTO U'NO WASHINGTON I70 (No Model.)

GOIN CONTROLLED GAS 0R LIQUID VENDINGMAGHINB, No. 549,175.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ESLEY IVEBBER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED GAS OR LIQUID VENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No; 549,175, dated November5, 1895.

. Application filed August 8, 1895.

To CLZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WESLEY WEBBER, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCoin-Controlled Gas or Liquid Vending Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, practical, and compactcoin-controlled gas and liquid vending machine designed to be attachedto a gas or liquid meter of the usual or of any approved type andconstructed to cut off the flow of gas or liquid either by locking themeter or by operating a cook or valve in the service-pipe.

. In the practical construction of my present invention I employ a mainwheel, which I shall term a metric wheel, rotated constantly in onedirection by the power of the meter when the gas or liquid is flowingand of such size and so geared with the meter mechanism that a singlerevolution thereof will permit the delivery of a coins equivalent ingas. In connection with the metric wheel I employ a locking device orlatch, which serves to lock the metric wheel always at a predeterminedpoint in its revolution. The said locking device or latch is arranged torelease the metric wheel by the insertion of a proper coin in themachine, and is removed from its point of engagement with the metricwheel by a given space for each coin inserted at a single purchase,through which space it is tentatively returned to the starting-point orto that position at which it looks the metric wheel when the gaspurchased has been consumed. In order to simplify the construction ofthe machine, the said return of the locking device orlatch is effectedby escapement mechanism operated at proper intervals by the metricWheel. In case a cook or valve is employed to cut off the flow of gas orliquid in the service-pipe the said locking device or latch, as such,may be dispensed with.

To prevent fraudulent use of the machine, the metric wheel is locked bya supplementary locking device or safety-pawl in the interval betweenthe primary releasing of the metric wheel or the opening ofthe valve orSerial No. 558,625. (No model.)

cock, as the case may be, and the ultimate discharge of the coin fromits position of mechanical function with the other parts of themechanism into the cash-box.

The employment of the coin in its function of enabling the purchaser torelease the meter or open the cook or valve may be effected by rotatingit in a suitable casing from which it projects, so that a portion ofits. margin acts on the principle of the ward of a key to release themeter or open the valve or cock. The coin performs its work during aonehalf revolution, or thereabout, of the said casing, and then dropsout by its own weight into the cash-box below.

In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made, Figure 1 is afront elevation of my new and improved coin-controlled gas-vendingmachine, showing the front plate thereof in place and showing theindex-dials. Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same with thesaid front plate removed, the mechanism being in locked position to lockthe meter. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line soa" of Fig. 2. Fig. at is an enlarged sectional elevation taken on line 1y of Fig. vation showing the main casing of the coincontrolledapparatus, a portion of the metercasing, a portion of the service-pipe,and showing in sectional elevation a reciprocating valve fitted in theservice-pipe; and Fig. 6 is a similar View showing. the service-pipeprovided with a rotary cook or valve.

In the said drawings, 2 represents a casing adapted to be closed by afront plate 3, in which are formed dial-openings 4 5, and which is heldin place by bottom lugs 6 6, perforated lug 8, and padlock 9.

10 represents a metric wheel rotated exclusively in the direction of thearrow by the power of the meter. As here shown, said metric wheel isconnected with the meter mechanism by a worm 12 on shaft 13, whichlatter reaches into the meter M and is geared to the so-called two-footshaft or to the usual index-worm. The said metric wheel is journaled ona shaft or stud 17, which may be stationary or which may be formed as apart of an adjustable plate 18 to permit interchangeable metric wheelsof different sizes Fig. 5 is a sectional ele-- to be employed foradapting the machine to any change in the price of gas. The axis of saidmetric wheel is provided with a pointer 19, which is turned in front ofthe dial (see Fig. 1) to show the amount of gas purchased andunconsumed, and said wheel is provided with a locking stud or stop 21for locking the said wheel (and also the meter) when the gas purchasedhas been consumed, said wheel being always locked or stopped at a fixedpredetermined position, as hereinafter described.

The locking an d releasing mechanism com: prises an escapement wheel ordisk 22, a stop arm or latch 23, secured to said disk, anescapement-pallet 24, a lever 25, pivoted on the shaft 26, which carriesthe escapement-disk 22, a starting-pawl 27, pivoted to said lever inposition to engage with the escapementdisk, and a spring 28,applied tothe escapement-disk 22 or shaft 26, so that it will constantly tend toturn the said disk in the direction of arrow a. (See Fig. 2.) Theescapement-pallet 24: is extended, so that the end 29 thereof reachesinto the path of the stud 21 on the metric wheel, so that said palletwill be operated once for every revolution of the said wheel. Thestarting-pawl 27 is held in contact with a limit-pin 30 by a spring 31,and said pawl is extended at its upper end, as shown at 32, in positionto be operated by a coin 33 or other coin-controlled device which willact, first, to turn the said pawl into engagement with theescapement-wheel 22, and, second, to depress said pawl and the lever 25,causing the pawl to turn the eseapement-disk in the direction oppositeto the arrow a the space of one tooth. The are traversed by the movementof the said starting-pawl 32 will duly withdraw it from contact with thecoin 33, whereupon the spring 31 will elevate it and the lever 25 totheir original position. The said movement of the escapement-disk 22,produced by the starting-pawl and coin, as just described, willdisengage the stop or latch 23 from the locking-stud 21 on the metricwheel, and thus release it and the meter and permit the gas or liquid toflow. The tooth 3a of the pallet 24 will retain the escapementdisk andstop or latch 23 in the position at which they were set by thestarting-pawlthat is to say, so that the said latch 23 will clear thelocking-stud 21 of the metric wheel until the pallet is operated by theimpingement of the locking-stud 21 against the extension 29 of thepallet, whereupon the spring 28 will return the escapement-disk to itsoriginal position and reset the latch 23 in the path of the locking-stud21 to again lock the metric wheel and meter, when the former shall havemade a complete revolution and a coins value in gas has been consumed.

The above-described operation takes place on the purchase of a singlecoins equivalent in gas, and hence for a single-coin machine there needbe but two opposite notches or teeth on-the escapement-disk 22. Bymultiplying the teeth on the said disk the machine will be adapted toreceive as many coins at a single purchase as there are teeth formed inthe operative portion of the said disk, each coin inserted serving toset the said disk and the latch 23 back or away from the stud 21 thespace of one notch, the same to be returned a single notch for eachrevolution of the metric wheel. The escapement-disk is prevented fromracing by the projection 34; on the pallet 24:.

35 represents the external coin chute or slot. From this chute or sloteach coin is receivedwithin a slot or recess 36, formed in a casing 37,which is adapted to be revolved by a crank or knob 38. The slot orrecess 36 is adapted to receive and retain a coin. proper to the machine(and no other) in such manner that a portion of its edge will project ashort distance from said casing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4Ethat is, theedge will project a sufficient distance so that by revolving the saidcasing the coin will strike upon the starting pawl 27 and effect theoperation above described. After passing the projection 32 of the saidstarting-pawl the coin will drop out of the slot or recess 36 into themain casing or cash-box below. If a coin smaller than a coin proper tothe machine be dropped into the slot 36, it will be wholly inclosed inthe casing, and hence will not operate the starting-pawl 27, or the saidslot 36 may be open sufliciently at the bottom to permit such a coin todrop immediately through the easing 37 into the main casing or cash-boxbelow. The said rotary casing 37 is formed at one end with a projection41, which is in advance of the entrance to the slot or recess 36 in saidcasing, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, which projection serves to operate asafetypawl 42 for locking the machine from the time the coin depressesthe starting-pawl 27 and lifts the latch 23 until the coin is droppedinto the cash-box. The said safety-pawl as here shown is arranged toengage with the metric wheel. It is fulcrumed on the shaft 26 and isformed with an extension 43, the extremity of which is upturned andformed with a projection 44, which stands in the path of the projection41, so that the latter will. withdraw the safety-pawl 42 from the metricwheel before the rotary casing 37 completes its revolution. The saidpawl is normally held out of engagement with the metric wheel by aspring 45, and on the upper edge of said extension 43 of the safety-pawlis socured a spring or other guard 46 to yield. slightly under thepressure of the projection'41. V

In case the machine is constructed to operate a reciprocating valvesuitable means will be provided for converting the rotary motion of theshaft 26 into reciprocating motion. Various means may be employed forthis purpose, one of which is shown in Fig. 5.

ITO

In this form of construction the said shaft 26 is provided with aneccentric or cam 47, which rotates within a yoke 48, attached to thevalverod 49, so that a slight turn of the said shaft and eccentric willserve to open the valve and permit the flow of gas through the servicepipe 50. The valve is closed bya spring 51.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 6 the service-pipe is providedwith a rotary valve or cook 52, which may be connected directly orindirectly to the shaft 26 to be turned thereby for turning on andcutting off the gas, the ports being properly arranged for this purposerelatively to the predetermined point, at which the metric wheel will belocked by the latch 23. The shaft 26 is provided at its front end witha. pointer 15 in front of a dial 16, which pointer and dial indicate thenumber of coins placed in the machine and at all times show theconsumerv the amount of gas remaining to his credit.

My'invention is also applicable to such electric meters as aremechanical and employ gearing and shafts for registering the currentused or delivered.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a coin-controlled gas or liquid vend-- ing machine, a metric wheelrotated exclusively in one direction by the power of the meter, anescapement disk arranged to be rotated in an opposite direction to thatof the said metric wheel by the insertion of a coin in the apparatus,complemental locking devices for stopping the rotation of said metricwheel and escapement disk at a fixed or predetermined point in theirrotation, and an escapement pallet arranged to engage with the teeth ofthe said escapement disk and to be reciprocated for releasing theescapement disk, tooth by tooth, one for each revolution of the metricwheel; substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a coin controlled gas or liquid vending machine, a metric wheelrotated by the power of the meter and provided with a locking stud orstop, an escapement disk, provided with a stop or latch to engage withthe said locking stud or stop for locking said metric wheel, a pallet toengage said escapement disk, and arranged to be operated by the metricwheel and a coin controlled pawl for retracting said escapement disk,substantially as described.

3. In a coin controlled gas or liquid vending machine, a metric wheelprovided with a locking stud or stop and revolved by the power of themeter and provided with a looking stud, an escapement disk provided witha latch to engage with the said locking stud or stop for locking saidmetric Wheel, a pallet to engage with said escapement disk and arrangedto be operated by the said metric wheel, a coin controlled starting pawlfor retracting said escapement disk and latch and a swinging lever towhich said starting pawl is pivoted, substantially as described.

4. In a coin controlled gasor liquid vending machine, a metric wheelrevolved by the power of the meter, an escapement disk and latch forlocking said metric wheel, a pallet to engage with said escapement disk,a coin controlled starting pawl and a coin controlled safety lockingpawl, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a coin controlled gas or liquid vending machine a metric wheelrevolved by the power of the meter, a safety pawl for locking saidmetric wheel, a spring for disengaging said safety pawl from the metricwheel, and a rotating coin casing formed with a projection for engagingsaid safety pawl with the metric wheel, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

6. The combination with the metric wheel and the safety pawl, 42, formedwith an extension, 43, and projection, 44, and provided with a spring,46, of the coin casing, 37, formed with a projection, 41, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

7. The casing 37 formed with a slot or recess to inclose a portion of acoin proper to the machine, in combination with the escapement disk, alever 25 adjacent to said disk, and a pawl 27 pivoted to said lever andarranged to be engaged with the said disk by a coin, substantially asdescribed.

WESLEY WVEBBER.

Witnesses:

H. A. WEsr, EMILE RIESER.

